London Museum of Water and Steam

Be amazed by the massive historic engines that pumped Thames water to London’s taps, and follow in the footsteps of Charles Dickens to explore London’s exciting watery past at our newly refurbished Museum.

Get hands-on to find out more about the gruesome details of the capitals watery past, and water’s role in the Victorian battle for public health, in our new interactive Waterworks. In the Waterworks and the new outdoor Splash Zone you can test your muscle power as you have a go at water-pumping machines from throughout the centuries.

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Additional info

The brand new Stokers Café is situated at the entrance of the Museum, it is accessible without having to enter the Museum and is open every day from 11am – 4pm.

The Rotative engines are in steam every weekend along with our Cornish engines on selected weekends.

The Waterworks Railway runs every Saturday, Sunday, Bank holidays and selected Fridays in August school holidays.

Check the website for special days when we steam for schools and for group booking information.

The Steam Museum houses the finest collection of pumping engines in the world, which run in steam every weekend. The pick of the crop is the Grand Junction 90" Cornish Beam engine, which stands three storeys high: you can walk through it as it pumps.There is also an excellent 'Water for Life' gallery which describes the provision of water to London from Roman times to the present day.

Collection details

Science and Technology, Land Transport, Industry

Key artists and exhibits

Matthew Boulton

James Watt

Richard Trevithick

Cornish Beam engines

Henry Maudslay

Metropolitan Water Board

Thomas Newcomen

Thomas Wicksteed

Edward Bull

Events details are listed below. You may need to scroll down or click on headers to see them all. For events that don't have a specific date see the 'Resources' tab above.

Seasonal event

Victorian Christmas

10 — 11 December 2016 11am-4pm*on now

17 — 18 December 2016 11am-4pm

Join us as we celebrate a traditional Victorian Christmas at the London Museum of Water & Steam. Families can sing along at our Jolly Jingle Bells sessions on Saturdays and hear traditional Victoria Christmas stories on Sundays. Kids can have great fun searching for missing puddings around the Museum as well create their own Victorian card or Christmas angel. To complete the festive treat the Snowball Express, our real Steam Locomotive will be giving rides all day. It’s the perfect treat before heading into our charming café for mulled wine & homemade mince pies.

The event is free with standard museum admission prices. All activities are drop in. Storytime and Jingle Bells sessions run from 11.30 – 12.15 at the weekends and are suitable for children aged 1-8.

Educational & Learning at the London Museum of Water & Steam

The London Museum of Water and Steam has recently redeveloped its educational offer, and is now in line with the new 2015 curriculum. With a core focus on history and science, the museum is a fantastic space for pupils to discover and learn first-hand, topics such as; the implications of science today, tomorrow and in the future, material uses, states of matter, forces, energy, local history case studies, significant individuals of the past and Britain as the first industrial nation.

The London Museum of Water and Steam, formerly Kew Bridge Steam Museum, explores the story of London’s water supply as the vital lifeblood of our city. We have the world’s largest collection of Cornish cycle steam engines including the largest in the world still in steam on its original site. Alongside our core collection, our recent Heritage Lottery funded redevelopment has allowed the museum to create new educational displays across all areas, bringing the history of the pumping station and its engines to life. It also helped us create a major new gallery exhibition on London's water supply; past, present and future as well as new educational facilities, cafe, shop and both indoor and outdoor interactive water exhibits.

The museum offers a number of cross curricular secession tailored specifically to KS1 & KS2. Our education sessions are hands on learning experience, designed to suit all learning styles, our sessions range from museum trails to hand on experiments and engine demonstrations.

Please see our website for more information or to book a pre visit please email/call our Education and Outreach Officer on anna.chrystal@waterandsteam.org.uk or 0203 728 4973.

Locomotive

In 1804 Scottish born Richard Trevithick invented the first working Steam Locomotive, initially used to transport resources. Trevithick's invention sparked a number of steam related transportation inventions, including George Stephenson infamous Rocket, the first passenger Steam Locomotive.

Use this informative and visual sheet as an aid to understanding this remarkable machine. Suitable for KS3.

Creator

52Oak

How to obtain

For more information on Steam Locomotives, transportation, other topics, and the London Museum of Water and Steam, please contact the Education Officer on 0203 728 4973.

Paper-based and downloads

London's deadly diseases

Between 1832 and 1866 over 35,000 people mysteriously died across London. The best medical minds of the time couldn't fathom why & people where beginning to drop like flies. Was it that awful stench in the air or something far more deadly?

Use this informative and visual sheet as an aid to understanding the 'Great Stink', cholera and life in Victorian London. Suitable for KS2+.

Creator

52Oak

Resources

Steam Power Simplified

Almost every modern machine can trace its origins back to the Industrial Revolution, a period when steam power ruled. The 1800's was a period in which the United Kingdom experienced major industrial advances, economic growth and a population boom. Much of this directly related to the move from water and wind power to the steam power.

Use this informative and visual information sheet as part of your Industrial Revolution topic. Suitable for KS3+.

Creator

52Oak

How to obtain

For more information on the Industrial Revolution and the London Museum of Water and Steam, please contact the Education Officer on 0203 728 4973.

Digital and online resources

Thames to Tap

Ever thought about where you water comes from & how it gets to your taps? With the population of Victorian London growing water companies needed to construct a sophisticated network of pumps, pipes and filtration systems in order to deliver clean fresh drinking water.

Use this informative and visual sheet as an aid to understanding this complex yet vital systems. Suitable for KS2+.

Creator

52Oak

How to obtain

For more information on the Water Network, other topics, and the London Museum of Water and Steam, please contact the Education Officer on 0203 728 4973.

Digital and online resources

Water Filtration

Have you ever wondered where Londoners get our drinking water comes from, and where it has come from for centuries? The River Thames of course! Have you ever considered where Victorians disposed of there toilet waste? Same answer! So how to we keep our drinking water so clean....?

Use this informative and visual sheet as an aid to understanding the process of cleaning water. Suitable for KS2+.

Creator

52Oak

How to obtain

For more information on water filtration, Industrial Revolution, other topics, and the London Museum of Water and Steam, please contact the Education Officer on 0203 728 4973.

Website

E-mail

Telephone

020 8568 4757

Fax

020 8569 9978

All information is drawn from or provided by the venues themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.